Thread-identifying device



Oct. 22, 1968 B. HARRY GUNDERSON 3,406,461.

THREAD IDENT IFYING DEVI CE Filed Dec. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. (/i a) Harry Ganderson IN VE N TOR W mm United States Patent 015cc 3,406,461 THREAD-IDENTIFYIN G DEVICE B. Harry Gunderson, 1115 S. Jay St.,

Aberdeen, S. Dak. 57401 Filed Dec. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 511,445 10 Claims. (Cl. 333-499) This invention relates to a screw thread identifying and testing device.

The present invention is concerned with the presentation of technical data in connection with screw threads and is useful for both thread identification purposes and educational purposes. An important object of the present invention therefore is to provide a thread identifying aid by means of which information regarding both male and female threads may be rapidly obtained. Information such as outside thread diameter, tap drill size, the number of threads per inch, thread body size, etc. will therefore be made available in conventient and rapid manner by use of the present invention.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an educational aid whereby persons may be trained to identify screw threads by visual observation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one form of thread identifying device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by the section line 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view showing the disassembled parts of the thread identifying device;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are partial sectional views of portions of the thread identifying device arranged to gauge female thread elements;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another form of thread identifying device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the device shown in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 88 in FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and initially to FIGURES 1 through 3, it will be observed that the thread identifying device generally denoted by reference numeral 10 includes an elongated mounting assembly consisting of a pair of rigid bars 12 and 14 made of a suitable material such as steel, aluminum, plastic, etc. The bar 12 dimentionally exceeds the bar 14 both lengthwise and in a transverse direction so that the two bars are distinguishable from each other. The dimensionally larger bar 12 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced bores 16 which extend between the parallel spaced, longitudinal surfaces 18 and 20 thereof. The bores 16 vary in diameter from the smallest diameter adjacent one end of the bar 12 to the largest diameter adjacent the opposite end of the bar and each bore is internally threaded so as to present female screw threads of different pitch. The bar 12 is also provided with recesses 22 on the surface 18 thereof concentric with the internally threaded bores 16 so as to receive the head 24 of an externally threaded screw member 26 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The dimensionally smaller bar 14 is also provided with a series of internally threaded bores 28 that extend through the bar 14 between the parallel spaced longitudinal surfaces 30 and 32 thereof. The diameters of the 3,406,461 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 bores 28 and the screw thread pitch associated therewith progressively vary from the small size adjacent one end of the bar 14 to the largest size adjacent the other end of the bar 14 which is nevertheless smaller than the smallest size bores 16 within the dimensionally larger bar 12. Accordingly, the internally threaded bores 28 and 16 present a series of female threads substantially covering the complete range of threaded fasteners that may be commercially available.

Mounted on the outer exposed surfaces 20 and 30 of the bars 12 and 14 are permanent indicia 34 containing the screw thread data aforementioned. The data presented by the indicia 34 is therefore located adjacent the respective bores 16 and 28 on the surfaces 20 and 30 so that the threads on externally threaded fastener elements, for example, may be identified by threaded reception thereof within one of the bores. In order to so test and identify female threads such as the threads in nuts, the threaded bores 16 and 28 may mount externally threaded members 26 and 36 as shown in FIGURE 4.

The device 10 may be utilized for educational testing purposes by concealing the indicia 34 on the surfaces 20 and 30. Toward this end, the positions of the bars 12 and 14 with respect to each other as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, are reversed so that the indicia bearing surfaces 20 and 30 abut each other in order to conceal the indicia sandwiched between the bars. Only the longitudinal surfaces 18 and 32 would then be externally exposed to the view of the person being tested. In order to hold the bars locked in either the thread identifying positions as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 or in the thread testing positions as shown for example in FIGURE 5, the bars are provided adjacent the opposite longitudinal ends with internally threaded bores 38 and 40 aligned so as to threadedly receive the fastener elements 42. It will, of course, be appreciated that other holding facilities may be utilized in order to lock the bars in either of the relative positions indicated including, for example, electrical or magnetic means that may be under the control of the instructor.

When the bars 12 and 14 are positioned relative to each other, concealing the indicia 34 therebetween, the surfaces 18 and 32 will then be available for answer marking purposes adjacent to the respective bores 16 and 28. Therefore, as shown in FIGURE 3, replaceable write-on strips 44 are adhesively mounted on the surfaces 18 and 32 on either longitudinal side of the series of bores 16 and 28 in order to present removable marking surfaces adjacent to the respective bores. A student may then attempt to identify the screw threads associated with the bores by visual observation and record such information on the strips 44 which may thereafter be replaced in order to reuse the device for this purpose.

FIGURES 6 through 8 illustrate another form of thread identifying device generally denoted by reference numeral 46 providing different facilities for concealing the indicia on the exposed longitudinal surfaces 20 and 30 of the elongated mounting assembly formed by the bars 12 and 14 as described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 5. The elongated mounting assembly in the case of the device 46 mounts a flexible sleeve member 48 which is made of a suitable material such as plastic, that is opaque in order to conceal the indicia on the surfaces 20 and 30. Accordingly, the sleeve 48 is slidably mounted over the elongated mounting assembly in order to utilize it for testing purposes. The sleeve member is provided with a pair of elongated slots 50 and 52 through which the bores 16 and 28 are exposed. Index locating marks 54 and 56 may therefore be respectively mounted on the bars and the sleeve member as shown in FIGURE 6 in order to properly position the sleeve member on the elongated mounting assembly. Replaceable strips 58 are also adhesively mounted on the sleeve member on each longitudinal side of the slots 50 and 52 in order to present marking areas on which astudent may write what is believed to be the screw thread data associatedwith the respective bores 16 and 28.

What is claimed as newis as follows: i i v 1 1. Azdevice for identifying threads on fastener elements or the .like comprising an elongated mounting assembly havingat least'one exposed surface and a-plurality of internally threadedtbores opening through said exposed sur-' face. in longitudinally-spaced relation to each other, said bores being different from each other in either diameter or screw pitch, indicia means mounted on said exposed surface to identify the threads associatednwith: each of said bores, a replaceable marking surface mounted adjacent said bores on the mounting assembly, said 'mountingassemblyuincluding .az'pair of assembledbars "of different transverse" dimension, said bores comprising two series, one series through each ofsaid-bars; one of said bars having a second exposed surface spaced from the one exposed surfaceon theother of said bars, secondindicia means mounted on said second exposed surface, and means for holding the bars in position with said exposed surfaces abutting: each other sandwiching the indicia means therebetween. v

2. The combination of claim :1 wherein said replaceable marking sunface comprises a removable strip of material adhesively mounted on at least one of the exposed surfaces of one of said bars at a loaction spaced from the other exposed surface when exposed surfaces are abutting each other to conceal the indicia means.

3. The combination of claim 2 including externally threaded members threadedly received in said bores.

4. A device for identifying threads on fastener elements or the like comprising an elongated mounting assembly having at least one exposed surface and a plurality of internally threaded bores opening through said exposed surface in longitudinally spaced relation to each other, said bores being different from each other in either diameter or screw pitch, indicia means mounted on said exposed surface to identify the threads associated with each of said bores, and a replaceable marking surface mounted adjacent said bores on the mounting assembly, a sleeve slidably mounted on the mounting assembly having a slot through which said bores are'exposed, said sleeve being made of an opaque material covering the indicia means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said replaceable marking surface is formed on at least one removable strip adhesively mounted on the sleeve adjacent to the slot.

6. A device for identifying threads on fastener elements or the like comprising a pair of elongated bars heldassembled together, each of said bars having a series in internally threaded test bores extending therethrough between opposite longitudinal surfaces, said test bores being different from eachother in either-diameter or screw pitch, indicia means mounted on one'of the longitudinal -surfaces ofeach of the bars adjacentthe'bores for identifying the screw threads associated therewith, *and' 'asleeve enclosing the bars and' h'aving a slot through which said bores are exposed, said sleevebeing made of an opaque material locking the bars to each other with the longitudinal surfaces mounting the indicia means inabutting relation to each other. l 1

9. The combinationof claim 8 including removable strips on said longitudinal surfaces presenting marking areas adjacent to said test bores.

10. The combination of claim 9 including externally threaded members threadedly received in said bores.

, 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1960 Hill 3548.1 X

2,928,181 3/1960 Siemantel 33 17s 3,218,724 11/ 19 65 Schaumb'erger 33 -199 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,345,804 1963 France.

OTHERIREFEREN CES Popular Mechanics, vol. 103, No. 1, page 167, January 1955.

Stewart Screw and Nut Locator (advertisement), Stew-v art Manufacturing Co. I WILLIAM 1).. MARTIN, 13., Primary Examiner.

JOEL FREED, Assistant Examiner.

6 including externally 

1. A DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING THREADS ON FASTENER ELEMENTS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MOUNTING ASSEMBLY HAVING AT LEAST ONE EXPOSED SURFACE AND A PLURALITY OF INTERNALLY THREADED BORES OPENING THROUGH SAID EXPOSED SURFACE IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, SAID BORES BEING DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER IN EITHER DIAMETER OR SCREW PITCH, INDICIA MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID EXPOSED SURFACE TO IDENTIFY THE THREADS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID BORES, A REPLACEABLE MARKING SURFACE MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID BORES ON THE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY, SAID MOUNTING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OF ASSEMBLED BARS OF DIFFERENT TRANSVERSE DIMENSION, SAID BORES COMPRISING TWO SERIES, ONE SERIES THROUGH EACH OF SAID BARS, ONE OF SAID BARS HAVING SECOND EXPOSED SURFACE SPACED FROM THE ONE EXPOSED SURFACE ON THE OTHER SAID BARS, SECOND INDICIA MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SECOND EXPOSED SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE BARS IN POSITION WITH SAID EXPOSED SURFACES ABUTTING EACH OTHER SANDWICHING THE INDICIA MEANS THEREBETWEEN. 